Ministry of Women and Child Development
Honorarium/Wages To Anganwadi Workers
State/UT-wise number of Anganwadi Centres  and number of Anganwadi Workers/Anganwadi Helpers/Supervisors is annexed. Presently, honorarium of AWWs at main-AWCs is ₹ 4,500/- per month; AWWs at mini-AWCs is ₹3,500/- per month; AWHs is ₹2,250/- per month. Besides performance linked incentive of ₹ 250/- per month to AWHs, modified guidelines have been issued for performance linked incentive @ ₹500/- per month to Anganwadi Workers w.e.f. 01.04.2021. In addition, States/UTs are also paying additional monetary incentives/honorarium to these functionaries from their own resources. Supervisors under Anganwadi Services are government employees, whose pay scales are decided from time to time by the concerned State Government/UT Administration.
In order to improve the working conditions of Anganwadi Workers, Ministry of Women & Child Development has issued revised joint guidelines with Rural Development and Panchayati Raj for construction of 4 lakh AWC buildings across the country under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme  in convergence with Anganwadi Services . Under Swachhta Action Plan, grants are provided for drinking water facilities and toilet facilities per AWC. Grants are also sanctioned for purchase of water filter, furniture, equipment, etc. Besides, Anganwadi Workers  have been provided with Smart Phones for efficient service delivery.
There have been sustained engagements with State Governments for review and improvement including recent interactions to discuss different implementation related issues such as Anganwadi Infrastructure, non-operationalisation of Anganwadi Centres, filling of vacancies of Anganwadi Services functionaries, smooth delivery of services to the beneficiaries etc. to strengthen the services.
Further, streamlined guidelines were issued on 13.01.2021, covering several aspects such as quality assurance, roles and responsibilities of duty holders, procedure for procurement, integrating AYUSH concepts and Data management and Monitoring through "Poshan Tracker" for transparency, efficiency and accountability in delivery of Supplementary Nutrition has been issued.
In addition, following benefits are also given to AWWs/AWHs:
i) Leave: They have been allowed paid absence of 180 days of maternity leave and 20 paid annual leaves.
ii) Award: In order to motivate the Anganwadi Workers and give recognition to good voluntary work, a Scheme of Award for AWWs/AWHs, comprising Rs.50,000/- cash award to AWWs and Rs.40,000/- cash award to AWHs was introduced.
iii) Uniform: Government has made a provision for a set of two Uniforms .
Government has received demands from Anganwadi Workers/Unions etc. for increasing the honorarium. However, the Government of India undertakes revision of the honorarium of AWWs and AWHs from time to time. With effect from 01.10.2018, the Government of India has enhanced the honorarium of AWWs/AWHs. Additional honorarium is paid by the States/UTs from their own financial resources.
From time to time, there have been sustained engagements with State Governments/UT Administrations for review and improvement including recent interactions to discuss different implementation related issues to strengthen Anganwadi services.
AWWs/AWHs are covered under Social Security Insurance Schemes. Anganwadi Workers/ Helpers who have been engaged with Covid-19 related tasks have been included in the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package for insurance cover of Rs.50 lakh subject to fulfillment of certain conditions prescribed for the coverage.
Also, State Governments/UT Administrations have been requested to encourage eligible AWWs/AWHs to get themselves enrolled under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan  Pension Scheme on voluntary basis in order to get assured monthly pension on attaining the age of 60 years.
With respect to problems/issues faced by Anganwadi Workers and Anganwadi Helpers, the same are taken up with concerned States/ UTs for appropriate action. Reports on these issues which are serious in nature are sought from State Governments/ UT Administrations.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.